Tesla Model 3 gets a 16-inch screen in the US, Performance rises to 528 hp and Premium AWD drops to 3.8 seconds
Tesla updated the Model 3 in the US, Puerto Rico and Mexico: a 16-inch centre screen on every trim, a 528 hp Performance with more EPA range, and a quicker Premium AWD, at unchanged prices. What the US car doesn't get, and why Europe isn't included (yet).
Tesla has quietly updated the Model 3 for the US market. On the evening of October 1 (US time), Tesla North America said on X that every Model 3 sold in the US, Puerto Rico and Mexico now comes with a 16-inch centre touchscreen. It replaces the 15.4-inch unit the car has used since the "Highland" generation launched. Performance changes came with it: the Model 3 Performance now has 528 hp of peak power, and the Premium AWD is quicker.
Prices haven't changed, so buyers get more for the same money. They just don't get everything Chinese buyers got a day earlier.
What changed, trim by trim
| Trim (US) | Price | What's new |
|---|---|---|
| Model 3 RWD | $36,990 | 16-inch screen |
| Model 3 Premium RWD | $42,490 | 16-inch screen |
| Model 3 Premium AWD | $47,490 | 16-inch screen; 0–60 mph in 3.8 s (from 4.2 s); 346 mi EPA range |
| Model 3 Performance | $54,990 | 16-inch screen; 528 hp; 316 mi EPA range (from 309 mi); black headliner |
The screen is the same 16-inch panel the Model Y Premium got in January, and Chinese Model 3s got it a day before the US cars. According to Electrek, the Model 3 Performance was listed at 510 hp when it launched in 2024, so the gain is about 18 hp. Its 0–60 mph time stays at 2.9 seconds. The Premium AWD sees the most noticeable gain, dropping from 4.2 to 3.8 seconds to 60 mph.
Tesla didn't say where the extra power and range come from: software, inverter, battery or a mix. It also didn't say whether cars already delivered will get anything through an update. Until Tesla confirms it, don't assume existing cars will get the upgrade over the air.
What China gets and the US doesn't
The US update came a day after the one for the Shanghai-built Model 3, which we covered in our piece on Model 3 and Model Y vehicle-to-load (V2L). The differences matter:
- V2L (vehicle-to-load). In China, the Model 3 can power appliances at up to 2.2 kW through an adapter. In the US, the feature has been limited since August to the Model Y Premium/Performance and the Cybertruck. The US Model 3 doesn't get it for now.
- Light-grey interior. This new option in China isn't offered in the US.
- Canada isn't part of it. Canada gets Shanghai-built Model 3s, not Fremont-built ones, so the North American update doesn't automatically cover it.
What about Europe?
European Model 3s, including those sold in Romania, come from Shanghai, just like Canadian ones. Tesla announced nothing for Europe alongside this update. Since the Chinese car already has the 16-inch screen, it seems plausible European cars will follow. That is an inference, though, not an announcement: there's no official date or specification for Europe yet. Check Tesla's European configurator before ordering, rather than relying on US specs.
What it means for drivers
- In the US: anyone ordering a Model 3 now gets a bigger screen for the same price. The Premium AWD becomes an even stronger alternative to the Performance: 3.8 s versus 2.9 s to 60 mph, for $7,500 less.
- In Romania and the rest of Europe: officially, nothing changes yet. US figures (EPA, hp, 0–60 mph) don't translate directly into European ones (WLTP, PS, 0–100 km/h). For the difference between test cycles, see our guide to WLTP, CLTC and EPA range.
- Already own a Model 3? Tesla hasn't promised existing cars the extra power or range. Don't count on it until it shows up in software release notes.
